The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-07-15
Almost a Catastrophe at Strong.

AfHoSt a CataStropne at strong.
STRONG, July 14.-The Withrell q Davis
Company, consisting of % members. played
Uncle Toms Cabin" Wednesday evening,
under mammoth canvas pavilion at Strong,
to an audience of about 1900 people.
When the performance was about half fin
ished there very suddenly came a tremen-
dous wind squall with rain which broke the
ropes and snapped the poles like pipe stems.
Pandemonium reigned for two minutes.
Screams of women and children crying for
help and hoarser shouts of men, all ended in
a grand scramble for the exit. A few made
their escape but the greater part were caught
under great spread of canvas, as masts,
poles and supports, one after another, gave
way and the whole structure came tumbling
to the ground. To add to the danger, the
lamps falling with their supports set fire to
the dry grass, and for few moments hol-
ocaust seemed inevitable. But by almost
superhuman exertions the fire was extin-
guished before it communicated with the
canvas, and the imprisoned people as rapid
ly as possible were extricated. The remark
able thing of it all is that beyond faints and
bruises no one was seriously injured. 1t was
a very narrow escape from terrible catas-
trophe. Had the main mast fell in a direc-
tion opposite to what it did, or had the can
vas ignited, many lives might have been
lost.
Killed by Falling Tree.
GREENvILLE, July 14.-Valdemer Walhl,
laborer ON the construction of the Canadi-
an Pacific Railway in the vicinity of Green
vile, was killed by falling tree today. He
leaves widow and three children living at
Vanceboro.
From Bar Harbor.
BAR HARBoR, July 14.-Sloop Priscilla,
of New York, arrived today. The Meteor
sailed this morning The yacht fleet is lying
in the harbor decked with streamers. Judge
o. w. Holmes, of Boston. is at the Louis
burg, and the Vanderbilts are at Devil Stone
cottage which they have occupied the past
two summers. The German Saturday even
ing at the West End in honor of the yacht
feet promises to be a brilliant affair.
Bridgton Academy.
BRIDGToN, July 14.-The graduating exer-
cises of Bridgton Academy occurred to day
The attendance was large and the parts full
ly sustained the reputation of this well
known institution of learning. The gradu-
ating class number twenty-one. The Acad-
emy hall was beautifully decorated. Princi-
pal John F. Moody was in charge of the ex-
ercises. The literary exercises occupied the
forenoon and afternoon, closing with a fine
concert in the evening by Grimmer's orches-
ira and the Harvard quartette, assisted by
bennett, of Lewiston, the noted humorist.
OF the graduates, two enter Bowdoin Col
lege, three the Maine State College and one
Wellesley College. Principal Moody closes
his connection with the Academy to accept
the principalship of the Edward Little High
School at Auburn.
Mike Burns Threat.
AUGUSTA, July 14.-Mike Burns, whose
imported liquors were seized recently, threat
ems to open a shop in Portland fer the sale
of these goods at an early date.
OF Interest to crangers.
AUGUSTA, July 1.-THE dates at which
MortimerWhitehead "a lecturer of the national
grange who addressed Augusta so eloquently
last winter, will speak in Maine are as fol-
lows:
Tuesday, August 9th, Oxford County, Norway.
Wednesday. August 10th, Franklin County,
Pennington
Thursday, August 18th, Androscoggin County,
Auburn, forenoon; Sagadahoc County, Topsham,
Afternoon.
Friday, August 18th, Lincoln and Knox Coun-
ties, Union.
Saturday, August 18th. Waldo County, Belfast.
Monday, August 10th, Hancock County, Verona
Park.
Tuesday, August 10th, Penobscot County, Etna.
wednesday, August 18th, Piscataqus County,
Dover.
bee Counties, Skowhegan.
Friday, August 10Th, Cumberland and Oxford
Countless Sebago Lake.